Clinic Students Brave Winter Weather to Appear in Court

 

Fifty-five miles until the gas tank is empty. The gas gauge reading on Professor Johnson's Toyota Sienna minivan indicated there was plenty of gas to reach Cheyenne, especially since Cheyenne is only 45 miles east of Laramie. Fellow law student Holli Austin-Belaski, always rational, said that it was not near enough gas and that, perhaps, we should fill up before we left town. As for me, I was indifferent because all I could think about was arguing in front of the Wyoming Supreme Court. 

Fifty-five miles . . . it would have been enough gas had there not been terrifying road conditions that day. Snow blowing all over the road creating white-out conditions which caused traffic to slow down to a crawl on I-80. I wasn't phased because, "hell, at least we were on our way." That is, until we came to a dead stop. 

We sit, wait, complain, and eventually call the Wyoming Supreme Court to tell them that we are going to be late. Professor Johnson realizes that 55 miles worth of gas may not be enough. Holli, I'm sure, was having an "I told you so" moment.  My mind still turned toward making my oral argument before the Court. 

With no gas station in sight, blowing snow all around us and traffic stopped, Professor Johnson now worries that we may run out of gas so he shuts the car (and the heat!) off. As we sit in a cold car on the highway, eventually I cannot help but look at the gas gauge with dread. Would we make it to Cheyenne or freeze to death on I-80? The gauge now reads 26 miles to empty. 

The wind is howling, it is about 15 degrees outside and there we sit on I-80 waiting, cold, and a little worried about whether we would make it to Cheyenne or whether the state troopers would eventually find two law students' and one professor's frozen corpses decked out in suits in a failed attempt to make it the Supreme Court. 

After an hour and fifteen minutes of standstill on the highway, cars and trucks finally started to inch forward. The reason for the delay became apparent as we passed a three vehicle pile up (two semis and one pickup truck). As we neared Cheyenne, we learned that it wasn't the wreck that caused the traffic jam, but rather a semi flipped on its side. 

After that entire ordeal, I realized the thing I was most thankful for was Professor Johnson's skillful winter driving and ingenuity that enabled us to reach Cheyenne safely (and while not necessarily warm, and least, not frozen). When we pulled before the Courthouse, I couldn't help but look at the gas gauge one last time . . . 4 miles to empty, it read. 

Fifty-five miles worth of gas was barely enough but it was, indeed, enough.

And I gave my argument.

 

Even though our fuel worries were over our travel troubles were not. After my oral argument we soon discovered that I-80 west was closed. In the midst of finals week I hardly wanted to remain in Cheyenne for the night. So once again, rational Ms. Austin-Belaski suggests we go drive south to Fort Collins, Colorado and then drive north into Laramie on US 287.

It worked and Professor Johnson delivered his students safe and sound back to the law school. After eleven hilarious and often-time delirious hours spent with Professor Johnson and Holli I learned two things: (1) worry about your safety before your oral argument and (2) always have more than 55 miles to empty.